Hopper door pivot and latch assembly



Nov. 17, 1964 w. L. FLol-:HR 3,157,132

HQPPER DOOR PIVOT AND LATCH ASSEMBLY Inventor:

Walter L. F1o ehr ByY-LJMWML his Attorney Nov. 17, 1964 w. FLOEHR 3,157,132

HOPPER nooa PzvoT AND LATCH ASSEMBLY Filed June 9, 1960 Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr his Attorney Nov. 17, 1964 w. L. FLoEHR 3,157,132

HOPPER DOOR PIVOT AND LATCH ASSEMBLY Filed June 9, 1960 Sheets-Sheet 5 fg 2 57 54 I l J V l if g i 53 J 46 I FIG. 9 Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr his Atorney United States Patent O 3,157,132 HPPI'ER DOUE IPHVT ANB) :LATCH ASSEMELY Walter L. Fioehr, Toledo, Ghia, assigner to Unitcast Corporation, rIoledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ghio Filed .lune 9, 1%6, Ser. No. 35,663 16 Claims. (Cl. MBS- 253) This invention relates to hopper door assemblies of railway hopper cars.

In transporting nely divided bulk material in hopper cars equipped with drop bottom hopper doors, a diicult problem is posed in sealing the discharge openings ciosable by the doors against escape of the lading. The problem becomes especially acute when the material is both finely divided and comparatively heavy, such as iron ore inagnetically separated after sintering and grinding. Locking mechanisms are available that are effective to pull a hopper door tight at the bottom against the door frame on the hopper surrounding the opening, However, this does not suffice since the tine lading can still escape around the sides and top of the frame. attempted to provide the desired close lit at all sides between the door and the frame vby holding the hinges to .close tolerances both as to position and as to the interfit between their parts, but this is expensive and any initial advantage is lost when the hinges become worn in service.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved hopper door assembly whereby a drop bottom hopper door in closing can be pulled tight against a door frame on a hopper at all sides of a discharge opening in the latter and thereby effectively seal the opening against escape of line bulk lading.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a hopper door assembly a locking mechanism whereby a drop bottom door can be pulled to closed position by a closing force capable of exerting pressure on the door at all sides ofV the discharge opening in the hopper as the door approaches or reaches closed position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a hopper door assembly whereby not only is closing pressure exertable on a door at all sides of the discharge opening in a hopper but the initial tit between the door and the frame determining the effectiveness of the seal therebetween can be adjusted exteriorly with the door in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hopper door assembly whereby the tightness of the tit between the door and the frame with the locking mechanism in locked position can be adjusted as necessary from the outside and with the door in closed position at both the top and the bottom of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide in'a hopper door assembly improved means whereby either the point of engagement between the latch and the catch of the locking mechanism or the hinging axis of the door can be shifted exteriorly in a direction substantially normal to the door-confronting face of the frame, thereby to adjust the fit between the door and the frame in the closed position of the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hopper door assembly whereby by machining the door-confronting surface on the frame, making the iit between the door and the frame adjustable exteriorly at both top and bottom and applying a closing force exerting pressure on the door at all sides of the discharge opening, the opening is effectively sealable against the escape of bulk lading regardless of the neness or specific gravity of the latter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

it has been` 3,l57,l32 Patented Nov. i7, i964- ICC FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a closed hopper door and associated structure incorporating a preferred embodiment of the door assembly of the present invention;

FGURE 2 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the structure of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View on the scale of FIGURE 2 of the structure of FIGURE 1, the section being taken mainly along lines 3 3 of FIG- URE 1';

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View on the scale of FEGURE 3 and taken along the section lines 3 3 of FGURE 1 but with the door in preliminary hold position;

Fl'GURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along lines 5 5 of FlGURE 3;

FlGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along lines -o of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of Ithe latch of the locking mechanism of the preceding figures;

FGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment of the assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a hinge and associated portion of the structure of FGURE 8;

FIGURE l() is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines lll-10 of FGURE 9; and

FIGURE 1l is a fragmentary sectional View taken along lines lll-ll of FIGURE l0.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved hopper door assembly of the present invention is applicable generally to top hinged, so-called drop bottom hopper doors of railway hopper cars and is capable not only of locking such a door in closed position but of enabling the door to be pulled tight against a frame at all sides of a hopper opening bounded thereby. The assembly includes a locking mechanism responsible for both pulling the door closed and locking it in closed position, as well as means operable exteriorly or from the outside with the door closed toinsure that, despite manufacturing tolerances or wear, the door will be closed tightly on a predetermined actuation of the locking mechamsm.

As exemplary of the invention, the improved assembly v has been applied to a conventional drop bottom hopper door l hinged at the top to a door frame 2 fixed as by welding to a hopper 3 and swingable about a substantially horizontal axis for closing a discharge opening 4 of the hopper bounded by the frame. Suitably hinged, as by a pair of spaced hinge straps 5 riveted or otherwise fixed -to its outer face 6 and each connected by one of a pair of axially aligned hinge pins 7 to hinge lugs S on the frame above the discharge opening 4, the door 1 in closing swings inwardly toward the frame and in closed position slopes inwardly and downwardly from its hingmg axis;

To perform as intended in the assembly of this invention, the locking mechanism 9 must be capable of applying an inward force to pull the door to closed position and that force must be applied to the door inside, within or intermediate the lateral bounds, contines or extremities of the discharge opening d. ln other words, as indicated in FlGURE 3, the force line F of the inward force exerted on the door l by the locking mechanism 9 must project or extend into the discharge opening 4 inside or within the inner lateral bounds or contines of at least that portion of the frame 2 designed to be engaged by the door. This does not necessarily entail that the locking mechanism 9 have its latch and catch members itl and 1l, respectively,

so mounted, one on thc door and the other on the frame, that each will be contained wholly within the lateral conlines of the discharge opening when the door is in closed position, but it does entail that in that position the point of application of the force to the door be within those confines and that the latch and catch member 3, to one of which the puliing force will be applied, be so mounted and that the line from that point through the point of engagement of the latch and catch members, determinative of the direction of the line of the inward force, pass within at least the outer portion of the frame surrounding the discharge opening and engageable by the door. So applied, the inward force applied to pull or push the door into engagement with the frame will have a component acting inwardly normal to the front face 6 of the door and directed into the discharge opening intermediate or within the latters lateral extremities. it is this component of the force that enables the door to be pulled tight against the frame at all sides of the opening.

Within the above limits as to disposition, it is possible to mount either the latch member l@ or the catch member il on the frame and the other member on the door. it also is possible to use the force applying any means, such as a cam, lever or crank or combination thereof, suitable for and capable of applying sufficient force to pull the door from a preliminary hold position or partially closed position into tight engagement with the frame 2.

A locking mechanism particularly suited for the intended purpose is one similar in many respects to that of my copending application, Serial No. 833,221, tiled August 14, 1959, and such a locking mechanism has been illustrated in both embodiments as exemplary of the invention. Having its catch member, catch or keeper 111 mounted inside the discharge or hopper opening d on the fioor sheet 312 of the hopper 3 and the bottom portion of the frame 2 and protected from lading by a forwardly opening housing 13, fixed as by welding to the bottom sheet and frame, the illustrated locking mechanism has as its latch member or latch it?, a hook mounted for limited vertical pivoting or swinging on a crank pin 14 of a crank 15, here a double crank, one of the crank arms 16 of which is fixed to an inner end of and rotatable or turnable by an operating shaft i7 conveniently mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis on an angle bracket 18 mounted on and fixed to the outer face 6 of the door 1. Carrying on its outer end a capstan 19 socketed to receive an actuating bar or lever (not shown), the operating shaft is rotatable within limits by such a bar. The locking mechanism 9 is made lockable in locked position, conveniently by locking the operating shaft against rotation in that position of the mechanism, this here being a key 2t?, pinand-slot connected to the mounting bracket 118 and droppable into a then aligned radial slot Z1 in the capstan.

So mounted on the outer face 6 of the door 1i, the pivoted latch member or hook iti extends through an aperture or opening 22 in the door and is protected from lading in the hopper 3 as the door starts to open by a hood 23 also extending through the aperture 22 and, with the hook, projecting in the ciosed position of the door into the housing i3. The illustrated catch l1 being bifurcated, the latch, correspondingly, has wings outstanding from opposite sides and each engageable with one of the sides, side elements or prongs 25 of the catch on entry of the shank 26 of the latch therebetween. As in my application Serial No. 833,821, the engaging faces 27 and 28, respectively, of the Wings 24 and sides 25 of the catch, slope inwardly and upwardly from the plane of the door sheet 12 so as to prevent them from sliding out of engagement during swinging of the door l from the preliminary hold position shown in FEGURE 4 at which these faces first engage on manual swinging of the door toward closed position and the closed position shown in FGURES 5 and 8.

'While the catch t might form part of the housing i3 or be independently fixed in position, the tit between the door 1 and the frame 2 must be tight regardless of manufacturing tolerances or wear if, as intended, the door is elfectiveiy to seal or close the discharge opening It against escape of fine bulk lading. The locked position of the locking mechanism being that in which the rey 20 and the key slot 2i in the capstan 19 are aligned, it is possible, although difficult, -to obtain the required tight t between the doc-r 1l and the frame 2 by relatively rotating the operating shaft 17 and capstan 19 and xediy connecting these eiements when the desired lit is obtained. Alternatively, the axis of the operating shaft 17 might be made shiftable in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the outer face of the door. However, over either of these alternatives it is preferred to make the catch adjustable, or shiftable substantially parallel to the tioor sheet l2 and normal to the plane of the front or outer edge or face 29 of the frame 2 and to enable such adjustment to be made exteriorly or from the outside with the door in closed position. It is such a catch that is here illustrated, the catch 11 having its latch-engaging side elements Z5 iixed to or rigid with and upstanding from a base or base plate 3) received at the sides in grooves or guide-ways 31 in the opposite side walls 32 of the housing 13 and contained by the grooves and the underlying portions of the frame 2 and floor sheet 12 against movement in any direction parallel to the plane of the outer face 29 of the frame 2 but permitted to slide in the grooves in a direction normal to that plane.

To take advantage of the slidable or shiftable mounting of the catch 11 in the housing 13, there depends from the base plate 3? of the catch, through a slot 33 in the floor sheet 12 elongated in the direction of sliding of the catch, an abutment or shoulder 34. Mounted exteriorly or outside the hopper 3 below the iioor sheet 2, conveniently on a downstanding flange 35 of the frame 2, for rotation about an axis parallel to the iioor sheet, is a cam or eccentric 36 presenting for engagement by the front face 37 of the abutment 3d a helically surfaced inner or camming face 38 of a cylindrical or annular frange 39. Backed by a filler block 40 and having a square or like out-of-round head 41 to enable it to be rotated, turned, actuated or adjusted by a suitable wrench, the cam 36 may use as its mounting means a rivet or like suitable pivot pin ft2 extending through it and the flange 35 and on rotation in one direction, counterciock- Wise, in FiGURE 6, is enabled, by engagement of its camming face 38 with the confronting face 37 of the abutment 34, to shift, move or force the catch 11 to slide inwardly in the housing 13 to the position or point at which in the locked position of the locking mechanism, the door 1 has a tight fit at the bottom with the frame 2. Once the adjustment is made through the cam 36, the catch may be fixed in adjusted position by tack welding it to the lioor sheet and frame.

The force exerted by the cam 36 in adjusting the fit of the door 1; to the frame 2 is transmitted through the latch 1t) and the intervening crank 15 to bearings 43 journaling the crank and fixed to lthe mounting bracke TrS on the outer face 6 of the door. Both the bearings 43 and the mounting bracket 1? are positioned or disposed intermediate the lateral extremities of the front face 6 and within the lateral confines or extremities of the discharge opening 4i when the door is in closed position. Too, the catch being mounted inside the hopper and surmounting the bottom portion of the frame 2, its point or area of contact with the latch i@ necessarily is within the lateral confines of the discharge opening d. Thus, not only is the point or, strictly, area at or over which the inward force of the cam 36 is applied to the outer face 6 of the door 1 within the lateral contines of the discharge opening 4- but the line of force of that inward force, as determined by the line between its point of application to the outer face and the point of contact of the latch l@ and the catch 11, passes through the discharge opening. As a consequence, the door 1 need only contact one side of the frame 2 to be made to act as a third class lever and fulcrum about that side toward the other sides of the frame under the inward force of the cam 36. This lever action of the cam on the door is duplicated by the locking mechanism 9 in locking the door in closed position after the fit between the door and the frame has been adjusted.

As a potential reactance to the leverage exerted on the front face 6 of the door l by the cam Se and later by the locking mechanism 9, the hinges 44, comprised of the hinge straps S, lugs S and pins 7, conceivably could prevent the leverage exerted by the cam or locking mechanism from forcing the door tight against the frame Z at all sides. However, ythis is unlikely, since in conventional hinges there is almost inevitably suliicient play, on initial assembly due to manufacturing tolerances and later due to wear, to accommodate inward movement of the door into tight engagement with the frame at all sides of the discharge opening.

The tight iit between the door 1 and frame 2, once established, locking of the door in closed position will effectively seal the discharge opening 4 against escape even of iine, relatively heavy bulk lading and such sealing will continue to be obtained until it is defeated by wear in the locking mechanism 9. The time between adjustments can be and preferably is further extended by stressing the door to make use of the inherent resiliency of the metal to partially compensate for wear. This is accomplished by over-adjusting by the cam 36, such that in closed position the portion of the door within the bounds of the discharge opening 4 is under compressive stress from its outer face 6 suflicient to cause a slight inward bulging.

The embodiments of FIGURES 1-3 and FiGURES 8-11 in the main are identical both in their door assemblies and in the associated structure. However, as opposed t the iirst embodiment, the second embodiment is capable of ensuring a tight lit between the door 1 and the frame 2 at all sides of the discharge opening 4 without dependence upon play in the hinges 44 due to manufacturing tolerances or wear. This is accomplished by making the tit between the door and the frame adjustable at the top as well as at the bottom and by machining the front, door-confronting edge, face or surface 29 of the frame extending about or around or surrounding the discharge opening 4 to make it planar or flat and increasing the area of the door such that in the latters closed position there is facial or surface contact or engagement between the planar front surface or face on the frame and the flat inner face or surface 45 of the door. This contrasts with the first embodiment in which the engagement between the door andthe frame in the closed position of the door is mainly' or entirely between the forwardly tapering periphery or sides 46 of the frame and the rearwardly flaring, correspondingly inclined, surrounding or overlapping skirt 47 on and bounding the door. While this change in structure does deprive the assembly of the second embodiment of the wedging action obtainable with the rst as an aid in compensating for Wear, this action is not necessary since the wear on the engaging surfaces 29 and 45 on the frame and door will be even and any that does occur can be taken up at both top and bottom.

For adjusting the it at the top between the door 1 and the frame 2, either on initial assembly or after service use, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances in the one case and wear in the other, the hinges 44 are modi'lied to make them adjustable without disturbing the fixed connections of their hinge lugs 8 and straps 5 to the frame and door, respectively. This preferably is accomplished by litting the hinges lwith eccentric hinge pins 48 rather than cylindrical pins 7 of the rst embodiment. Each of the hinges 44 conventionally having a pair of axially spaced hinge lugs 8 rigid with the frame and straddling a single hinge loop 49 rigid with the associated hinge strap 5 fixed to the door 1, the eccentric hinge pin 48 by which the lugs and loop are connected has axially spaced concentric cylindrical outer and inner end portions 50 and 51 connected by an intermediate cylindrical portion 52 eccentric thereto, the eccentric portion rotatably seating or being received in a corresponding aperture 53 in the hinge loop 49 and the end portions in concentric apertures 54 and 55, respectively, in the outer and inner, straddling or embracing hinge lugs. With the outer end portion or head Sti enlarged to include within its diameter the intermediate eccentric portion 52, the eccentric pin is readily iusertible inner end iirst into position and on rotation, actuation or adjustment exteriorly with the door closed, will shift the hinging axis of the door as necessary to obtain the desired tight iit at the top between the door and the frame. To facilitate such adjustment, the head Si) of the pin 4d preferably projects or extends axially beyond its aperture 54, outwardly of the outer side of the associate hinge lug S, and its projecting part is radially slotted, as at 56, to accommodate a retainer or locking pin or bar 57 extending at either end beyond the slot and by its ends providing a grip for a suitable tool for turning the pin. Once the adjustment is made, the preferred retainer pin is tack welded at its ends to the adjoining side of the associated hinge lug 8 and thereafter serves to lock the pin 7 against rotation relative to the hinge lugs and so maintain the adjustment, while enabling a later adjustment to be made by breaking of the welds 58. The eccentric pin 48 in adjusting the l'it between the door 1 and the frame 2 necessarily shifting the door parallel as well as normal to the outer face 29 of the frame, the enlargement of the door relative to the portion of the frame overlapped by its skirt 47 is sutcient to accommodate this parallel relative movement. l

As in the case of the iirst embodiment, the tight t between the door 1 and the frame 2 at all sides of the discharge opening 4 obtained by the adjustment, here by shifting the otherwise stationary hinging axis of the door, as well as the position of the catch 11, will be duplicated each time the door is closed and thus predetermined on subsequent closings until such time as it is impaired by wear and at that time can be restored by a further adjustment. Again, as in the iirst embodiment, it is preferred that each adjustment be an over-adjustment so as to stress the door by applying a compressive force to its outer face within the bounds of the discharge opening 4 and utilize the resiliency of the metal in the door to partially compensate for wear and correspondingly extend the time between adjustments.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved hopper door assembly by which a door in process of being locked in closed position is forced into tight engagement with the door frame at all sides'of the discharge opening and the tit between the door and the frame is enabled to be adjusted at the bottom or both bottom and top. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and that all modiiications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

VHaving described my invention, I claim:

1. An assembly for a hopper door hinged at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper comprising means for locking said door in closed position, means acting through said locking mechanism on said door intermediate lateral extremities of said discharge opening for forcing said door against said frame at sides of said opening, and means actuatable exteriorly with the door closed for predetermining the lit at top and bottom between said door and said frame on subsequent closings of said door.

2. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper comprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said frame and engageable on swinging of said door to closed position, means acting through said members on said door intermediate lateral extremities of said discharge opening for forcing said door against said frame at sides of said opening, and means respectively in said hinged connection and acting on said catch member and actuatable exteriorly with the door closed for predetermining the t at top and bottom between the door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

3. An assembly for a hopper door hingedly connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising means for locking said door in closed position, means acting on said locking means for adjusting at the bottom the t between said door and frame and means in the hinged connection between said door and frame for adjusting at the top said fit therebetween, said adjusting means being actuatable with said door closed for predetermining the tit at top and bottom of said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

4. An assembly for a hopper door hingedly connected to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said frame and engageable on swinging of said door about a stationary hinging axis thereof to closed position for locking said door in said position, and adjustable means in the hinged connection between said door and frame and actuatable with said door in closed position for shifting the hinging axis of said door relative to said frame and thereby predetermining the tit between said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

5. An assembly for a hopper door connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening in a hopper and swingable against said frame for closing said opening, comprising locking means operative on swinging of said door about a stationary hinging axis to closed position for locking said door in said position, and hinge means connected to and hingedly connecting said door at the top to said frame, said hinge means including means for adjusting the position of the hinging axis of said door relative to said frame without disturbing the connection between said hinge means and said door and frame and thereby predetermining the lit at the top between said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

6. An assembly for a hopper door connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening in a hopper and swingable against said frame for closing said opening, comprising hinge means hingedly connecting and having parts each connected to one of said door and frame, locking means operative on swinging of said door about a stationary hinging axis to closed position for locking said door in said position and eccentric means connecting said parts and actuatable with said door in said closed position for shifting the hinging axis of said door relative to said frame, said eccentric means cooperating with said locking means for predetermining the t between said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

7. In an assembly for a hopper door connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening in a hopper, the improvement comprising hinge means hingedly connecting said door and frame and having parts connected to each thereof, means operative on swinging of said door about a stationary hinging axis to closed position for locking said door in said position, and eccentric pin means connecting said parts and rotatable to shift the hinging axis of said door relative to said frame thereby to predetermine the fit at the top between said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door.

S. In an assembly for a hopper door connected at the ktop to a frame bounding a discharge opening in a hopper, the improvement comprising hinge means hingedly connecting said door and frame and having parts connected to each thereof, means operative on swinging of said door about a stationary hinging axis to closed position for locking said door in said position, eccentric pin means connecting said parts and rotatable to shift the hinging axis of said door relative to said frame and adjust the tit at the top between said door and frame on subsequent closings of said door, and means for locking said pin means against rotation on adjustment of said t and predetermining said t on subsequent closings of said door.

9. An assembly for a hopper door connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, cornprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said hopper and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position for locking said door in closed position, means acting through said members for applying an inward force to said door intermediate lateral extremities of said discharge opening and forcing said door against said frame at all sides of said opening, a planar front surface on said frame surrounding said opening and engageable with a rear face of said door on application of said force, exteriorly actuatable means acting through one of said members for adjusting at the bottom the t between said surface and face with said door locked in closed position, and adjustable hinge means hingedly connecting said door and frame for adjusting said t at the top, said adjusting means together enabling the fit at top and bottom between said surface and face to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

10. An assembly for a hopper door connected at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said hopper and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position for locking said door in closed position, means acting through said members for applying an inward force to said door intermediate lateral extremities of said discharge opening and forcing said door against said frame at all sides of said opening, a machined planar front surface on said frame surrounding said opening and engageable with a at rear face of said door on application of said force, exteriorly actuatable means acting through one of said members for adjusting at the bottom the t between said surface and face with said door locked in closed position, and adjustable hinge means hingedly connecting said door and frame for adjusting said fit at the top, said adjusting means together enabling the fit at top and bottom between said surface and face to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

1l. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper and swingable thereon to close said opening, comprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said frame and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position, means acting through said members on said door intermediate lateral extremities of said opening for forcing said door against said frame thereabout, means actuatable exteriorly with said door closed and acting on one of said members for shifting the point of engagement of said members in a direction substantially normal to said door and thereby adjusting the t at the bottom between said door and frame, and means in said hinged connection and actuatable exteriorly with said door closed for adjusting the t at the top between said door and frame, said adjusting means together enabling the tit at top and bottom between said surface and face to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

12. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper and swingable thereon to close said opening, comprising latch and catch members mounted one on said door and another on said frame and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position, means acting through said members on said door intermediate lateral extremities of said opening for forcing said door against said frame thereabout, cam means actuatable eXteriorly with said door closed and acting on one of said members for shifting the point of engagement of said members in a direction substantially normal to said door and thereby adjusting the fit at the bottom between said door and frame, and means in said hinged connection and actuatable exteriorlywith said door closed for adjusting the t at the top between said door and frame, said last-named and cam means together enabling the tit at top and bottom between said door and frame to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

13. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising a catch member shiftably mounted on a floor sheet of said hopper, a pivoted latch member mounted on an outer face of said door intermediate lateral extremities of said door and said opening when said door is Vin closed position, said members being engageable at a preliminary hold position on swinging of said door toward closed position, means acting through said latch member for forcing said door from said hold position into engagement with said frame about said opening, abutment means depending from said catch member and projecting through said door sheet, cam means below and rotatable on an axis substantially normal to a front edge of said frame surrounding said opening, said cam means engaging and acting through said abutment for shifting said catch member and thereby adjusting the fit at the bottom between said door and frame in the closed position of said door, and means in said hinged connection for adjusting the iit at the top between said door and frame in the closed position of said door, said last-named and cam means together enabling the t at top and bottom between said door and frame to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

14. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising a -catch member mounted in a forwardly opening housing on a floor sheet of said hopper for sliding in a direction substantially normal to a front edge of said frame about said opening, a pivoted latch member mounted on an outer face of said door intermediate lateral extremities of said door and said opening when said door is in closed position, said members being engageable at a preliminary hold position on swinging of said door toward closed position, means acting through said latch member for forcing said door from said hold position into engagement with said frame about said opening, abutment means depending from said catch member and projecting through said licor sheet, cam means mounted below said floor sheet for rotation about an axis substantially normal to said front edge of said frame and having a rearwardly facing helical camming :tace engageable with a front face of said abutment, said cam acting through said abutment for sliding said catch member in said housing and thereby adjusting the t at the bottom between said door and frame in the closed position of said door, and eccentric means in said hinged connection for shifting the hinged axis of said door relative to said front edge of said frame and thereby adjusting the t at the top between said door and frame, said cam and eccentric means together enabling the t at top and bottom between said door and frame to be predetermined on subsequent closings of said door.

15. An assembly for a hopper door hinged at the top to a frame bounding a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising latch and catch means mounted one on said frame and another on said door and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position, `exteriorly actuatable means for adjusting at the top and bottom the iit between said door and frame with said door in closed position and predetermining said rit on subsequent closings of said door, and means acting through said latch and catch means for applying a closing force to and inwardly stressing said door intermediate lateral extremities of said opening on locking of said door in closed position..

16. An assembly for a hopper door having a hinged connection at the top to a frame boundinfy a discharge opening of a hopper, comprising a locking mechanism for locking said door in closed position, said mechanism including latch and catch members mounted one on said frame and another on said door and engageable on swinging of said door toward closed position, means actuatable exteriorly with said door in closed position, and respectively acting on said locking mechanism and in said hinged connection for adjusting the it at top and bottom between said door and frame and predetermining said ftron subsequent closings of said door, and means operating through said mechanism for applying to said door intermediate lateral extremities of said opening an inward force inwardly stressing and urging said door against said frame at all sides of said opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,208,422 Way Dec. 12, 1916 1,540,581 Way June 2, 1925 1,699,860 Suckield lan. 22, 1929 1,869,815 Katz Aug. 2, 1932 1,949,555 Woehle Mar. 6, 1934 2,012,114 Willoughby Aug. 20, 1935 2,042,528 Hosceit lune 6, 1936 2,058,018 Holmes Oct. 20, 1936 2,250,591 McBride luly 29, 1941 2,638,062i Zimmer May 12, 1953 2,720,174 Dorey Oct. 11, 1955 2,962,982 Wine Dec. 6, 1960 2,962,983 Ingram et al. Dec. 6, 1960 

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER DOOR HINGED AT THE TOP TO A FRAME BOUNDING A DISCHARGE OPENING OF A HOPPER COMPRISING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION, MEANS ACTING THROUGH SAID LOCKING MECHANISM ON SAID DOOR INTERMEDIATE LATERAL EXTREMITIES OF SAID DISCHARGE OPENING FOR FORCING SAID DOOR AGAINST SAID FRAME AT SIDES OF SAID OPENING, AND MEANS ACTUATABLE EXTERIORLY WITH THE DOOR CLOSED FOR PREDETERMINING THE FIT AT TOP AND BOTTOM BETWEEN SAID DOOR AND SAID FRAME ON SUBSEQUENT CLOSINGS OF SAID DOOR. 